I like a good ride! (HealthRider)

Member Name: kimgraham

Product:	HealthRider
Date:	15/06/02 (1472 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: it works, easy and has a video

Disadvantages: you need a bit of room for it

As some of you will know, I had a heart attack in my mid thirties, a few years ago.

This had a fairly devastating effect on my life, as you can probably appreciate. I had previously been very fit, having run regularly, including half marathons, up until my fourth child was born. I also loved working out at the gym.

All that had to stop for a couple of years. The medication and lack of exercise made me gain weight and that made any attempt at exercise even more difficult. I would be breathless and in pain. I was a mess, not to put too fine a point on it. My self esteem had completely bottomed out and I had no stamina for the most basic tasks. I felt like an old lady. I also felt sorry for myself and wondered why it had to be me.

A few months ago I hit rock bottom. A little voice inside said, "Oi, you are not old, stop whingeing and do something about it before it is too late". The little voice was right, as little voices often are!

I took a long hard look at myself and decided to buy some keep fit equipment. Going to the gym during term time was now impossible as I am in school for 12/13 hours every day. I already had a hydraulic stepper and mini gym, bought lovingly from QVC a couple of years ago, but realistically they were still too strenuous for me. I needed to build up slowly.

With that in mind, I tore myself away from Dooyoo and went to visit the keep fit section on Ebay. My, how addictive is that place, it is almost as bad as here!

I found two things to buy. One was a gravity walker- wonderful, but not being reviewed here! The other is a Health Rider. It was going for sixteen pounds with only a couple of hours left. I hastily placed a bid and kept a close eye on my alerts. Thank goodness for broadband! In the meantime I checked in Argos to discover that this machine retails at approx eighty pounds.

I won it!! The only drawback was that it was sixty miles away but my daughter and her chap
pie went to get it for me. It was fully assembled and they were still able to get it in the back of my car, a Vectra estate.

James, my daughter's boyfriend heaved it into the house, and here it now stands, magnificent, on the hearth rug next to the gravity walker. I kid you not, my lounge now looks like a gym. I went back to Ebay where I have purchased and am awaiting, a conservatory. This is to be our own little gym on the back of the house!

Let me tell you about the machine.

It is not huge, but is quite sturdy and it will fold flat(ish).It was as new so didn't I do well!

There is a saddle at about knee height, which is adjustable to your inside leg length. You sit on the saddle put your feet on the pedals, grab the handlebars and away you go. Have a good ride! This is it at its most basic. In fact, there are two sets of foot pedals. The ones nearest your body are for a standard all over work out. The higher ones are to work your upper body. This seems much harder work! Don't worry the machine feels extremely stable and won't topple over.

There is a guide book,which is fairly comprehensive with loads of exercises, and also an instructional video. They suggest that you can utilise different muscles by altering your grip. Underarm, for instance, works on your biceps. Much needed in my case, I have become a tad flabby!

In front of the handle bars is a small computer screen. This is a wonderful motivator. It has a timer, a calorie counter and a repetition counter. It is much easier to keep going, thinking to yourself, just 100 more reps or 50 more calories! Alternatively you can set yourself a time limit.

On the back of the machine is a spindle onto which you can slot the weights which are provided with the machine. You get two sets in different sizes. One of my girls has even stood on the back to give extra resistance. It probably isn't such a great idea as it might break it! It does s
eem pretty robust, however.

So, what does it feel like? Well, it is a strange sort of upright rowing action. It looks akin to bare back bull riding, not that I have ever tried that!

You can start with only a few minutes if you are unfit or have a health problem and gradually build up. I was amazed at how quickly I could increase my time quite substantially. You don't have to use the weights if you don't feel up to it.The Health Rider does not seem to cause any undue strain anywhere and is really fun to use. My daughter and I go on the two new bits of equipment whilst watching a bit of late night television. It is fun and feels almost like being at the real gym, because of the company.

The machine will fold down and would probably fit under a bed or understairs cupboard. I must admit that mine stays out all the time. In my experience, if you put the machinery away you forget all about it and it rarely comes out again.Hence the conservatory! My leg is really being pulled at school about it!

I aleady feel better and have more energy and stamina. I cannot recommend this piece of equipment enough.

Summary: